Millions expected to head back to church Sept. 16 in response to personal invitations

by jmaloni

Press release

Tue, Sep 11th 2012 03:50 pm

National "Back to Church Sunday"
draws participation of more than 12,000 congregations across the
country

On
Sept. 16, millions of Americans are expected to take a bold step to
return to church, based on an invitation from a friend, family
member, coworker or neighbor. National "Back to Church Sunday,"
the largest collaborative outreach in the nation, provides the
potential for people not only to find a church and deepen their
relationship with God, but also to form lasting personal
relationships.

With
more than 12,000 churches registered to participate, people looking
for a church in their community can search the "Back to Church
Sunday" roster online at www.backtochurch.com/roster.

Research
reported by Thom Rainer in "The Unchurched Next Door" shows 82
percent of the unchurched are at least "somewhat likely" to
respond positively to an invitation to attend church.

"Nothing
can surpass the effect of the personal invitation," said Ed
Stetzer, president of LifeWay Research, a supporting partner of "Back
to Church Sunday."

Congregations
across America are customizing "Back to Church Sunday" to their
own communities to reach people who no longer attend.

In
Powder Springs, Ga., where church leaders estimate that 88 percent of
their community does not attend church, Burnt Hickory Baptist Church
offers their congregation a four-week "Family Prayer Walk" guide
leading up to Sept. 16. Beginning in August, weekly emphases have
been directing families as they walk through their neighborhoods,
pray for the residents, and look for opportunities to interact with
neighbors in conversations and relationship-building.

"God's
heart is that Burnt Hickory families have a significant spiritual
impact on their neighbors," said Mike Stephens, senior pastor.
"Prayer-walking is a simple discipline that our families can
incorporate into their lives to develop a heart for those living
around them and a greater understanding of what may be happening in
their lives - all while taking a walk with our kids, getting
exercise and sharing with them the importance of caring for others."

The
four-week prayer walk culminates in a commitment to invite neighbors
to "Back to Church Sunday" Sept. 16.

"National
Back to Church Sunday is not a quick-fix or one-time solution. It is
an opportunity for Christians to share ongoing grace and acceptance,"
said Philip Nation, director of adult ministry publishing at LifeWay
Research and spokesperson for "Back to Church Sunday." "Sept.
16 can be the portal for people to find their way not only back to
church, but into to a loving, accepting church family where real
relationships are built."

To
begin building these relational bridges, many churches are planning
social events, in addition to their worship services on Sept. 16.
Aboite Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, Ind., will host breakfast for
interaction between the congregation and their guests. Citylight
Baptist Church in Charlotte, N.C., is providing live
music, face-painting for children, catered food and sporting
activities.

The
movement is also spreading to Canada. Zion Christian Reformed Church
in Oshawa, Ontario, will participate in "Back to Church Sunday"
by hosting a concert with award-winning worship artist Hiram Joseph
of Toronto.

Last
year, more than 7,600 congregations across America extended an
estimated 1 million personal invitations for "Back to Church
Sunday." Participating churches reported on average an increase of
25 percent in attendance on that Sunday. Since its inception, more
than 5 million invitations from more than 12,000 churches have been
given.

National
"Back to Church Sunday" (www.backtochurch.com)
is the single largest annual community outreach in the nation,
sharing the simple message and mission of inviting everyone in
America back to church. The campaign empowers churches and church
members with the tools they need to welcome their neighbors, friends
and loved ones back to church, while providing the unchurched an easy
way to find a welcoming church in their community.

LifeWay
Christian Resources (www.lifeway.com),
in operation since 1891, is one of the largest Christian resource
organizations in the world. LifeWay Research exists for the purpose
of equipping church leaders with insight that will lead to greater
levels of ministry effectiveness through research-based books and
reports based on statistically validated surveys.